This invention is related in part to preceding U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,652 issued Sep. 1, 1998.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention introduces the method, equipment, and composition of a revolutionary fire prevention/suppression system that utilizes a low-oxygen (hypoxic) environment to:
Instantly extinguish an ongoing fire
Prevent a fire from getting started.
With its mode of action based on the controlled release of breathable fire-suppressive gases, this human-friendly system is completely non-toxic, fully automated, and entirely self-sustaining. Consequently, it is ideally suited to provide complete fire protection to houses, industrial complexes, transportation tunnels, vehicles, archives, computer rooms and other enclosed environments.
With the majority of fires (both industrial, and non-industrial) occurring at locations with a substantial amount of electronic equipment, this Fire Prevention and Suppression System (FirePASS(trademark)) has the added benefit of requiring absolutely no water, foam or other damaging agent. It can therefore be fully deployed without causing harm to the complex electrical equipment (and its stored data) that is destroyed by traditional fire suppression systems.
While this is extremely important to technology-intensive businesses such as banks, insurance companies, communication companies, manufacturers, medical providers, and military installations; it takes on even greater significance when one considers the direct relationship between the presence of electronic equipment and the increased risk of fire.
2. Description of Prior Art
Current fire suppression systems employ either water, chemicals agents, gaseous agents (such as Halon 1301, carbon dioxide, and heptafluoropropane) or a combination thereof. Virtually all of them are ozone depleting, toxic and environmentally unfriendly. Moreover, these systems can only be deployed post-combustion. Even the recent advent of the Fire Master 200 (FM 200) suppression system (available from Kidde-Fenwal Inc. in the U.S.A.) is still chemically dependant and only retards the progression of fire by several minutes. Once this fire-retarding gas is exhausted, a sprinkler system ensues that results in the permanent destruction of electronic equipment and other valuables.
Exposure to FM-200 and other fire-suppression agents is of less concern than exposure to the products of their decomposition, which for the most part are highly toxic and life threatening. Consequently, there is no fire suppression/extinguishing composition currently available that is both safe and effective.
In terms of train, ship, or airplane fires, the inability to quickly evacuate passengers creates an especially hazardous situation. The majority of the passengers who died in France""s Mont Blanc tunnel fire suffocated within minutes. In this case the problem was further compounded by the presence of ventilations shafts. Originally designed to provide breathable air to trapped people, these shafts had the unfortunate side effect of dramatically accelerating he fire""s propagation. Especially devastating is the xe2x80x9cchimney effectxe2x80x9d that occurs in sloped tunnels. An example of this was the fire that broke out in Kaprun""s ski tunnel in Austrian Alps.
In addition, ventilation shafts (which are present in virtually all multilevel buildings and industrial facilities) significantly increase the risk of toxic inhalation. This problem is further compounded by the frequent presence of combustible materials that can dramatically accelerate a fire""s propagation.
While the proliferation of remote sensors has led to significant breakthroughs in early fire-detection, improvements in the prevention/suppression of fires has been incremental at best. For example, the most advanced suppression system to combat tunnel fires is offered by Domenico Piatti (PCT IT 00/00125) at robogat@tin.it. Based on the rapid deployment of an automated vehicle (ROBOGAT), the Robogat travels to the fire site through the affected tunnel. Upon arrival it releases a limited supply of water and foam to initiate fire suppression. If necessary, the Robogat can insert a probe into the tunnel""s internal water supply for continued fire-suppression. This system is severely limited for the following reasons:
The time that lapses between the outbreak of fire and the arrival of the Robogat is unacceptable.
The high temperatures that are characteristic of tunnel fires will cause deformation and destruction of the monorail, water and telecommunication lines.
The fire-resistance of the Robogat construction is highly suspected.
The use of water and foam in high-temperature tunnel fires is only partially effective and will lead to the development of highly toxic vapors that increase the mortality of entrapped people.
There are only 4 current methods of fire suppression in human-occupied facilities:
The use of water
The use of foam
The use of chemical flame inhibitors
The use of gaseous flame inhibitors
The present invention employs a radically different approach: the use of hypoxic breathable air for the prevention and suppression of fire. This hypoxic environment completely eliminates the ignition and combustion of all flammable materials. Moreover, it is completely safe for human breathing (clinical studies have proven that long term exposure to a hypoxic environment has significant health benefits). Hypoxic breathable air can be inexpensively produced in the necessary amount through the extraction of oxygen from ambient air.
In terms of fire prevention, a constantly maintained hypoxic environment can completely eliminate the possibility of fire while simultaneously providing an extremely healthy environment. In terms of suppression, this invention can instantly turn a normoxic environment into a hypoxic environment with absolutely no adverse effects to human life. This is extremely useful in the case of a flash fires or explosions.
Based on the exploitation of the fundamental differences between human physiology and the chemo-physical properties of combustion, this entirely new approach completely resolves the inherent contradiction between fire prevention and providing a safe breathable environment for human beings. Consequently, this invention is a radical advance in the management of fire and will make all current chemical systems obsolete
Hypoxic Fire Prevention and Suppression Systems will completely prevent the massive socioeconomic losses that result from the outbreak of fire.
The principal objects of this invention are as follows:
The provision of a breathable fire-extinguishing composition
A method for producing a fire preventive, hypoxic atmosphere inside human-occupied environments.
The provision of oxygen-depletion equipment that produce s breathable, hypoxic air with fire-extinguishing properties. Such equipment employs the processes of molecular-sieve adsorption, membrane-separation and other oxygen extraction technologies.
The provision of breathable fire-extinguishing compositions for continuous or episodic use in human occupied environments.
The provision of the equipment and the method to instantly produce a fire-suppressive, oxygen-depleted atmosphere, where people can safely breath (without respiratory-support means). This can be accomplished at either a standard or slightly increased atmospheric pressure with an oxygen content ranging from 10% to 17%.
The provision of a method for producing a fire-preventive atmosphere for hermetic sealed objects with controlled temperature and humidity levels. This can be accomplished by changing the initial settings of current life-support systems and reprogramming them.
The provision of hypoxic fire preventive/suppressive environments inside tunnels, vehicles, private homes (separate rooms or entire structures), public/industrial facilities and all other applications for non-hermetic human occupied environments.
The provision of a fire suppression system that instantly releases stored oxygen-depleted gas mixture from a high-pressure pneumatic system or container.
The ability to localize a fire site through the use of drop curtains, doors or other means of physical separation; with the subsequent release of breathable, fire-suppressive gas mixtures.